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Essential Protocols:

Description:

The UPPS Impulsive Behavior Scale contains 59 self-administered questions that are scored as five subscales (urgency, premeditation, perseverance, sensation seeking, and positive urgency). The respondent is asked to complete the questionnaire by reading each item and circling the number on a Likert scale, ranging from strongly agree to strongly disagree, that corresponds to his/her behavior.

Specific Instructions:

None

Protocol:

Below are a number of statements that describe ways in which people act and think. For each statement, please indicate how much you agree or disagree with the statement. If you Agree Strongly circle 1, if you Agree Somewhat circle 2, if you Disagree Somewhat circle 3, and if you Disagree Strongly circle 4. Be sure to indicate your agreement or disagreement for every statement below. Also, there are questions on the following pages.

Agree Strongly

Agree Some

Disagree Some

Disagree Strongly

1.

I have a reserved and cautious attitude toward life.

1

2

3

4

2.

I have trouble controlling my impulses.

1

2

3

4

3.

I generally seek new and exciting experiences and sensations.

1

2

3

4

4.

I generally like to see things through to the end.

1

2

3

4

5.

When I am very happy, I cant seem to stop myself from doing things that can have bad consequences.

1

2

3

4

6.

My thinking is usually careful and purposeful.

1

2

3

4

7.

I have trouble resisting my cravings (for food, cigarettes, etc).

1

2

3

4

8.

Ill try anything once.

1

2

3

4

9.

I tend to give up easily.

1

2

3

4

10.

When I am in a great mood, I tend to get into situations that could cause me problems.

1

2

3

4

11.

I am not one of those people who blurt out things without thinking.

1

2

3

4

12.

I often get involved in things I later wish I could get out of.

1

2

3

4

13.

I like sports and games in which you have to choose your next move very quickly.

1

2

3

4

14.

Unfinished tasks really bother me.

1

2

3

4

15.

When I am very happy, I tend to do things that may cause problems in my life.

1

2

3

4

16.

I like to stop and think things over before I do them.

1

2

3

4

17.

When I feel bad, I will often do things I later regret in order to make myself feel better now.

1

2

3

4

18.

I would enjoy water skiing.

1

2

3

4

19.

Once I get going on something I hate to stop.

1

2

3

4

20.

I tend to lose control when I am in a great mood.

1

2

3

4

21.

I dont like to start a project until I know exactly how to proceed.

1

2

3

4

22.

Sometimes when I feel bad, I cant seem to stop what I am doing even though it is making me feel worse.

1

2

3

4

23.

I quite enjoy taking risks.

1

2

3

4

24.

I concentrate easily.

1

2

3

4

25.

When I am really ecstatic, I tend to get out of control.

1

2

3

4

26.

I would enjoy parachute jumping.

1

2

3

4

27.

I finish what I start.

1

2

3

4

28.

I tend to value and follow a rational, "sensible" approach to things.

1

2

3

4

29.

When I am upset I often act without thinking.

1

2

3

4

30.

Others would say I make bad choices when I am extremely happy about something.

1

2

3

4

31.

I welcome new and exciting experiences and sensations, even if they are a little frightening and unconventional.

1

2

3

4

32.

I am able to pace myself so as to get things done on time.

1

2

3

4

33.

I usually make up my mind through careful reasoning.

1

2

3

4

34.

When I feel rejected, I will often say things I regret later.

1

2

3

4

35.

Others are shocked or worried about the things I do when I am feeling very excited.

1

2

3

4

36.

I would like to learn to fly an airplane.

1

2

3

4

37.

I am a person who always gets the job done.

1

2

3

4

38.

I am a cautious person.

1

2

3

4

39.

It is hard for me to resist acting on my feelings.

1

2

3

4

40.

When I get really happy about something, I tend to do things that can have bad consequences.

1

2

3

4

41.

I sometimes like doing things that are a bit frightening.

1

2

3

4

42.

I almost always finish projects that I start.

1

2

3

4

43.

Before I get into a new situation I like to find out what to expect from it.

1

2

3

4

44.

I often make matters worse because I act without thinking when I am upset.

1

2

3

4

45.

When overjoyed, I feel like I cant stop myself from going overboard.

1

2

3

4

46.

I would enjoy the sensation of skiing very fast down a high mountain slope.

1

2

3

4

47.

Sometimes there are so many little things to be done that I just ignore them all.

1

2

3

4

48.

I usually think carefully before doing anything.

1

2

3

4

49.

When I am really excited, I tend not to think of the consequences of my actions.

1

2

3

4

50.

In the heat of an argument, I will often say things that I later regret.

1

2

3

4

51.

I would like to go scuba diving.

1

2

3

4

52.

I tend to act without thinking when I am really excited.

1

2

3

4

53.

I always keep my feelings under control.

1

2

3

4

54.

When I am really happy, I often find myself in situations that I normally wouldnt be comfortable with.

1

2

3

4

55.

Before making up my mind, I consider all the advantages and disadvantages.

1

2

3

4

56.

I would enjoy fast driving.

1

2

3

4

57.

When I am very happy, I feel like it is ok to give in to cravings or overindulge.

1

2

3

4

58.

Sometimes I do impulsive things that I later regret.

1

2

3

4

59.

I am surprised at the things I do while in a great mood.

1

2

3

4

Scoring Instructions:

This is a revised version of the UPPS Impulsive Behavior Scale (Whiteside & Lynam, 2001). This version, UPPS-P (Lynam, Smith, Whiteside, & Cyders, 2006), assesses positive urgency (Cyders, Smith, Spillane, Fischer, Annus, & Peterson, 2007) in addition to the four pathways assessed in the original version of the scale—urgency (now negative urgency), (lack of) premeditation, (lack of) perseverance, and sensation seeking. The scale uses a 1 (agree strongly) to 4 (disagree strongly) response format. Because the items from different scales run in different directions, it is important to make sure that the correct items are reverse-scored. Typically all of the items are recoded in the direction such that higher scores indicate more impulsive behavior. Therefore, we include the scoring key for (negative) urgency, (lack of) premeditation, (lack of) perseverance, sensation seeking, and positive urgency. For each scale, calculate the mean of the available items; this puts the scales on the same metric. Typically participants must have responded to at least 70% of the items before a score is calculated.

Requirements

Mode of Administration

Self-administered questionnaire

Life Stage:

Adolescent, Adult

Participants:

[

Ages 12+ years

]

Selection Rationale

[

The UPPS Impulsive Behavior Scale was developed by Whiteside and Lynam (2001) through an empirical investigation of the many different existent measures of the heterogeneous trait of impulsivity. Used in studies of psychiatric disorders and risky and deviant behavior, the scale has been widely adopted, validated with adolescents and adults, and administered in French and German. In 2006, Dr. Gregory Smith and colleagues added one more dimension (positive urgency) to the scale. Each subscale has been validated and the results are independent of one another.